BUSINESS DIARY

The Child Safety Co. Inc., based in Lathrup Village, has opened the first childproofed home model in the state at 29550 Franklin Road, No. 326 in Southfield.

Designed to show families how they can make their homes safer, the model is open to the public by appointment. Contact Aaron Ozrovitz at (248) 354-5969

AGREEMENTS

Ann Arbor-based Aastrom Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq: ASTM) has entered into a manufacturing-supply agreement with SeaMed Corp. (Nasdq: SEMD) in Redmond, Wash., to manufacture the instrument components of the Aastrom Cell Production System.

Cease Fire by Dis-Cover Inc. in Oak Park has entered into an agreement to supply patented technology and components to the largest fire-extinguisher manufacturer in the Czech Republic, Kovosluzba a.s.

AWARDS

Ex-Cell-O North American Operations in Sterling Heights has earned the Gold Pentastar award from Chrysler Corp. in Auburn Hills. Ex-Cell-O was the only machine-tool builder in North America in 1997 to receive the award, which recognized its performance on Chrysler's connecting-rod machining program.

Great Lakes National Bank in Ann Arbor has been named a Blue Ribbon Bank by Veribanc, an independent bank research company that assesses, on a quarterly basis, the financial health of more than 20,000 federally insured banks, thrifts and credit unions. No bank with the blue-ribbon designation ever has closed.

Robert Ziegelman, founding principal and chairman of Luckenbach-Ziegelman Architects in Birmingham, has been awarded the Detroit-based American Institute of Architects' Gold Medal for his contributions to the profession and his body of work in design. The institute also honored Ziegelman and his firm with an award for their design of Azar's Oriental Rug Showroom in Birmingham.

The Washtenaw County Environmental Issues Group has bestowed its Overall Environmental Excellence Award on St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor. The award was one of 16 presented to area businesses and nonprofit organizations that practice environmentally sound behavior in water protection, pollution prevention, waste reduction and recycling.

CONTRACTS

The Cranbrook Educational Community has commissioned Architects Four Inc. in Ann Arbor to work on a variety of renovations on its Bloomfield Hills campus.

Childtime Learning Centers Inc. (Nasdaq: CTIM) in Farmington Hills was awarded the management contract for the new Reisterstown Plaza Metro Station Child Care Center by the Maryland Department of Transportation.

EXPANSIONS

Promess Inc., a designer and manufacturer of turnkey force, torque and optic-sensing systems, has begun an expansion of its Brighton facility. The expansion will more than double Promess' total manufacturing space and is expected to be completed by October.

Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Life Time Fitness, a health and fitness company, has begun construction of a 90,000-square-foot sports and fitness complex in Troy and has plans to build as many as seven more in the Detroit area within the next year.

The Ervins Group, a Warren-based developer of automotive interior soft-trim components, and Quasar Industries in Rochester Hills, a metal prototype and laser processing job shop, have entered into a joint operating agreement. The two companies said the agreement developed because of increased requests from original-equipment manufacturers for suppliers that offer a complete product program.

MERGERS

Home Advantage Referral Service, a home-remodeling referral and handyman service in Plymouth, has merged with Contractors Central of Bloomfield Hills. The merged companies will operate under the Home Advantage Referral Service banner and will operate throughout Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

MOVES

Modern Floors has moved in Walled Lake to a site twice the size of its former location. The new address is 1145 N. Pontiac Trail. The phone number is (248) 634-0333.

NAME CHANGES

Bloomfield Hills-based Noble International has changed the name of its wholly owned subsidiary Prestolock International Ltd. to Noble Component Technologies Inc. Acquired by Noble International in 1994, Noble Component Technologies designs, engineers and assembles glove-box latches.